Bed-bottom



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. KILBURN.

BED BOTTOM.

No. 339,789,. Patented Apr. 13. 1886.

1 175 0 cnzar/ @"fk Wee/L CALP/VW N. PETERQ. Fhawulhogn lmn Washin ton, D. C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. O. KILBURN.

BED BOTTOM.

\No Model.)

Imus/afar 555E &

Patented Apr. 13, 1886 Witnesses; W w

NITED STATES I PATENT FFICE,

BED-BOTTOM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,789, dated April 13, 1886.

Application filed June 4, 1884. Serial No. 138,822.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHENEY KILBURN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bed-Bottoms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is atop or plan view. Fig. 2 is an edge view of one of the sides. Fig. 3 is an edge View of one of the ends. Fig. 4 is a partial section on line a: m, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detached view of one of the socket-pieces. Fig. 6 is a detached view of one of the supportinglegs.

My invention relates to that class of beds in which the mattress rests upon a series of thin fiat elastic steel strips or ribbons; and it consists in certain details of construction, as will be hereinafter fully explained.

The frame consists of end bars, side bars, and connecting socket-pieces, which are constructed substantially as follows:

A A are the end rails, each made by preference of wood, and provided at each end with a horizontal transverse opening or seat, a. I prefer to make these end bars of wood, but do not wish to be limited to the use ofany particular material.

B B are the side rails, each having right and left hand threads I) b at its ends. By preference I make these rails of gas-pipe, and combine therewith a wooden core, B, which strengthens them materially against sidewise deflection, it being well understood that no serious deflection can occur solong as the tube is prevented from collapsing, and this liability I obviate by means of the cores B, which are made of such size as to fit tightly within the tubing or gas-pipe.

The end rails and side rails are connected together by corner-pieces, preferably of metal, and consisting of the open forked part 0 O and inwardly-projecting shank or neck 0, which by preference is round in cross-section. Each corner-piece has a threaded socket, 0, adapted to receive one of the threaded ends I) of a side rail. The space between the forked ends is of such width as to receive one end of the end rail, A, and is in the same horizontal plane as the shank portion which receives the (No model.)

side rails, the hole a of the end rail being in such position as to register with the screwthreaded socket 0. By preference these holes a a are of such size as to fit closely the threaded ends of the side rails, so that when the parts are joined together, as in the drawings, the ends of the side rails not only prevent the corner-pieces and side rails from sliding longitudinally on the end rails, but also prevent the end rails from being moved out of the forked ends of the corner-pieces and off from the ends of the side rails.

The fabric upon which the mattress rests is composed of thin' longitudinal strips or ribbons D D, of steel, transverse thin strips or ribbons E E, also preferably made of steel, and the spiral springs (Z (Z, which are interposed between and connect the strips D E with the end rails at, preferably, both ends of the bed. The strips or ribbons D E are riveted at their intersections, and may be interlaced, or all of the strips D may be upon either the upper or the lower sides of the strips E, or part of the transverse strips may be upon one side of the longitudinal strips and a part upon the other side, as shall be found desirable.

It is evident that the jaws or forks of the corner-pieces may be strengthened to any desired extent by increasing the height or breadth of the re-enforcing ribs 0.

By leaving the outer ends of the fork open, instead of uniting them by a web or tic, I am enabled to screw the side rails into the cornerpieces such distance that the ends of the side rails will project beyond the outer edges of the end rails, thus enabling me to hook or otherwise connect the ends of the spiral springs d with the ribbons or strips D D and the end rails, A, after which proper tension upon the springs may be produced by turning the side rails in the reverse direction, but Without withdrawing the ends of the side rails from the holes a, and, when preferred, the length of the neck or shank 0 beyond the threaded seat 0 may be such that the end rails may be spread apart sufficiently without exposing to view the screw-threads on the side rails, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1, this result being attained with but little increasein weight of the corner pieces. Another advantage which is gained by such increased length of the neck 0' is the support which is thus afforded to the frame against twisting or swinging out of shape.

In Figs. 3 and 5 I have shown a modification of the devices which I propose to employ for preventing the side rails from moving toward orfrom the ends of the end rails. At the lefthand end of Fig. 3, in which the parts are partially broken away, the end rail has upon its upper surface transverse grooves, notches, or recesses a a, and the upper arm or jaw of the forked end 0 of the corner-piece is provided upon its under surface with pins, spurs, or webs c c, which fit into the recesses or. grooves a. By an examination ofthe'drawings it will be seen that by reason of the engagement of these projections c with the walls of the transverse seats a the side rails are locked to each other in such manner as to prevent the side rails from moving or sliding toward or from the ends of the end rails, even though the threaded ends of the side rails did not project through the socket portions 0 of the corner-pieces and into the circular seats or holes a of the end, rails. Therefore I do not wish to be limited to the use of both of these sets of projections and transverse seats,

the. foot f, which latter is adapted, to rest;

upon the rib f which is attached to the inner face of the side rail of a bedstead of the ordinary construction. The upper arm, f, is seated in a recess, 0, which is formed in the lower leg or arm of the fork, and between that leg and the end rail, A, one at each corner of the bed. These legs may be adjusted by sliding them out or intov the recesses so far as to fit the bedsteads of different widths.

The part B may be made of different lengths, I

in order to raise the frames to different heights from the rib f, as may be required, itv being possible by means of supporting-legs of this construction to mount the bed-bottom very low in the bedstead, even though the latter be considerably wider than the former, by making the part'F shorter than shown in the drawings, this being secured without in any manner weakening the legs.

It will be seen that the side rails and the corner pieces together form an extensible side.

bar or rail, which is adapted to interlock with and hold the end rails against-both longitudinal andendwise movement, and that this looking together or uniting of the rails or bars which form the frame of the bed-bottom is accomplished without the use of any removable or supplemental parts-such as screws, dowelpins, nails, &c.as have heretofore been employed. This side rail is providedatits ends withseats for the reception of the, end bars,

which seats are in the outer parts of the side rails, and are so situated relatively to themovable parts of the rail that after the end bar has been placed in the seat the part of the extensible rail which-projects into the transverse seat interlocks with the end bar, and thus holds the two rails together. The seat in the side rail prevents movements of the end rail in certain directions, (vertical in the form shown,) while the interlocking part of the side rail prevents movements in other directions. .However, should this seat open outwardly, as

shown, and the part B of the side rail be not screw-threaded but held by a set-screw or otherwise, in such event the tension of the longitudi nally -elastic fabric upon, which the-mattress is supported would hold the end rails in their seats against longitudinal movement.

' The best method of which I am aware for uniting the partsof the extensible side baris by means of ascrew-connection such as shown, 7,

which gives the necessary extensibility, and

enables me to, use a gas-pipe or other plain body for the side rail, and a perfectly plain end rail, say rectangular incross-section.

' I am aware that an extensible end rail for bed-bottom s consisting of a cylindrical rail andv a nut seated in a socket in. the woodenside bar,has been used to stretch the mattress-,sup-

porting fabric, and hence Ido not claim such a device as my invention; but by the employment of theseats in the-cornerpieces or outer parts of the side rail, which embracethe side bars, I entirely overcome or avoid any tendency to split or fracture the parts when the side bar B-is being turned to extend the side I bars, and so, also, the forked corner-pieces firmly support the end bars against any tendency to. splitting under strain. Again, the metalliclegs F, supported in the corner-pieces, as shown, are-firmly heldin place by the adjacent parts, and are practically free from: danger of breakage or of being misplaced. In-- der the ordinary wear to whichthey are sub-1 jected when in use.

I am aware that .it is old to form bed-bot- 1. In a bed-bottom, the combination, with;

the end rail provided with transverse seats, of the side rails, each having at oneend a corner-piece with a seat the inner walls of which are adapted to embrace theendmil,

and each also having a projection which entersthe transverse seat of the end rail,1 su.b.-- stantially as setforth. I

2. In a bed-bottom, the combination, with. the end rails provided with transverse.

IlO

of the extensible side rails having at their ends corner-pieces provided with seats the walls of which are adapted to embrace the side rails, and projections on the side rails which enter the transverse seats of the end rails, substantially as set forth.

3. In a bed-bottom, the combination, with the end rails provided with transverse seats, of the extensible side rails having at their ends corner-pieces provided with seats the walls of which are adapted to embrace the end rails, and projections on the side rails adapted to enter and be rotated within the transverse seats of the end rails, substantially as set forth.

4. In a bed-bottom, the combination, with the end rails provided with transverse seats, of the side rails having at their ends forked corner-pieces provided with outwardly open seats to receive the end rails, and projections adapted to enter the transverse seats of the end rails, and the elastic fabric adapted to retain the end rails in the ontwardly-open seats, substantially as set forth.

5. In a bed, the combination, with the bedbottom, of the hereindescribed metallic legs arranged to support the bed-bottom within a bedstead, said leg being adjustable relatively to the bed-bottom, and consisting of the vertical portions F, the upper horizontal portions, f, attached to the bed-bottom, and the feet portion f, substantially as set forth.

6. In a bed, the combination, with a bedbottom having corner-pieces provided with the forked parts 0 0, between which the end rails lie, of the legs which support the bedbottom in a bedstead seated in recesses 0 formed in the parts 0 of the corner-pieces and adjustable in said recesses, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaffix niysignature in presence of two witnesses.

CHENEY KTLBURN.

\Vitnesses:

J. \VARREN HALE, J AS. S. BREEN. 

